


Anthology: Connected

by HerPrettySmile



Category: Naruto
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-01-14 16:29:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18480022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerPrettySmile/pseuds/HerPrettySmile
Summary: Story #1: "It's been a long time since I saw your smile."Story #2: "I'm sorry... for leaving again."Story #3: AU. Sakura wondered why her handsome partner wasn't talking at all.Story #4: Sasuke and Sakura's thoughts during the Forest of Death scene.Story #5: In reality, they only had eyes for each other.Story #6: After a long time, they were finally together under the same sky.Story #7: It may have seemed unnecessary, but for Sasuke, it was important.Story #8: When Sasuke came to visit Konoha, one of the first things he did was to steal away his female teammate.Story #9: On Tumblr, Sakura was a fan of the popular artist blogger, LucidHypnosis. She didn't expect him to notice her or even send her a message, but he did, and she was ecstatic!Story #10: Sasuke remembers, vividly, his mother putting him to sleep with a song when he was a child. It was his only favorite song back then, and even until he grew up. Even after his mother died. But without her, his nightmares are inescapable.[Collection of SasuSaku oneshots]





	1. Her Smile

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
> 
> Note: Since I've written more than five fics for SasuSaku on my Tumblr blog, I decided to post them here, too.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #1: "It's been a long time since I saw your smile."

Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he'd seen this expression on her face.

For a few years, they had been enemies. They stood on opposite ends of the battlefield, him having different goals and beliefs from her and the rest of the Shinobi Alliance. Even so, however, she and Naruto _never_ stopped chasing after him, trying to bring him back to where he supposedly " _belonged_ ".

There was a part of him that _hated_ it back then because they seemingly didn't understand. They didn't _understand_ him, and they _never_ would.

But there was also a part of him that still thought of them as home. As teammates… as _friends_. Friends who would do _anything_ to save and protect him.

He always kept that side of him suppressed until he forgot that he ever even felt that way.

With Sakura, on the other hand, it was often somehow… _different_. Sometimes, whenever he stared at her, his mind would flash back to those same green eyes that cried for him and pleaded with him not to leave the village. His mind would flash back to those times when she tried to protect him, those times when she'd try to engage him into a conversation, and those times when she'd put on a smile and a blush for him.

But when he met her during the times when he was rogue, her expressions became entirely different.

That first reunion when he watched as she effortlessly grabbed Sai's collar, apparently not even knowing at the moment that he was there, her face was contorted in anger and irritation. It wasn't that far from what she always wore back when she was annoyed with Naruto, but it was still different when paired with her now-mature, confident features.

And when she slowly lifted her head towards him when he uttered her name, he could see the shock, confusion, sadness, and longing painted on her face.

Then there was the time when she confronted him before he was about to kill Karin. She seemed a little apprehensive at that moment, but there was no mistaking the determined, resolute expression she wore. He tried to kill her, his mind plunged in darkness to even completely realize what he was doing.

It was a relief that he didn't succeed.

With him, she was always sad. She was also crying sometimes because of him. It seemed that all he ever brought her was pain and rejection. Even back in their genin days, he pushed her away and hurt her whenever it came to his curse mark.

When she confessed to him wholeheartedly for the first time, he almost gave in. _Almost_.

But in the end, he hurt her and left her behind.

When she confessed to him for the second time, he hesitated.

[ _Just what was it with her and her words that always seemed to affect him?_ ]

But in the end, he hurt her again and left her behind.

He wanted to sever bonds with her. He was prepared for her to hate him. It was _all_ for the sake of his goal. He was going to become Hokage in his own way and become alone with no one left who could _possibly_ persuade him otherwise.

But life just had its own twists and turns for him.

Now, as he stared at her while she was laughing and grinning with him and Team 7, he had that unexplained feeling in his chest again.

This time, though, he already knew the answer.

As they all stood up, planning to end the Infinite Tsukuyomi, he found himself falling back a little, making his steps at an even pace with hers.

"Sasuke-kun?" she said to him questioningly, still grinning brightly as if she almost couldn't believe the recent events that happened.

He sent her a sidelong glance.

She stared back, swallowing a little at the intensity in his eyes.

Then he surprised her by lifting the corners of his mouth a bit.

"…It's been a long time since I last saw your smile," he remarked softly.

_And I'm glad you never lost it._

* * *

 

_fin_


	2. Farewell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #2: "I'm sorry... for leaving again."

"I'm sorry…"

Sakura stared at him, genuinely puzzled. "For what, Sasuke-kun?"

They were both standing opposite each other by the gates of Konoha, an occasional wind blowing the strands of their hair. Sasuke's gaze lowered slightly to the ground, not wanting to look longer at her honest green eyes.

"For… leaving again."

Sakura's eyes softened at the sincere regret in his voice. In her arms, baby Sarada shifted slightly, adjusting her sleeping position once more. Sakura smiled and patted her daughter's back tenderly.

"It's all right," Sakura assured. "I _know_ you have to do this. It's not like you _want_ to."

Sasuke still would not look at her. "Sarada…"

"…will be fine with just me." Sakura stepped closer to her husband, trying to catch his eye. "Sasuke-kun, I _know_ you'll come back to us again. You won't be leaving forever."

"…" Sasuke frowned slightly. "…If only I could take you two with me," he said sincerely.

Happiness bubbled inside Sakura's chest and she giggled in elation. There was, however, an underlying note of deep sadness in her tone that she tried her best to contain. "Yes, that would be _wonderful_ … Unfortunately… it's too dangerous for Sarada."

"Yeah…"

Sakura stared at the dim look on her husband's expression that never faded and managed a smile.

She moved closer to him.

The next thing Sasuke knew, there was a gentle, almost familiar tap on his forehead and his eyes instantly went wide.

Sakura, standing right before him, grinned brightly as best as she could. "Maybe next time!"

* * *

_fin_


	3. Too Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #3: AU. Sakura wondered why her handsome partner wasn't talking at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a random story that I wrote up on a whim.

Sakura tried to calm her pounding heart as she attempted to focus on her work, a bead of sweat dropping down her temple. Her racing heartbeat was making her restless, but she forced herself to focus.

 _If only…_ She raised her head a little to sneak a glance at a certain person sitting before her.

 _If only_ he _didn't become my partner…!_

She jolted when his eyes suddenly came to rest on her, a slight frown pulling at his lips.

"…"

 _He looks like he wants to say something,_ she thought to herself, swallowing. _But why isn't he talking?_

_He hasn't been talking for the past hour. I wonder what's wrong…_

After what seemed to be minutes of internal conflict, he took out an extra piece of paper from his bag and started to scribble something on it. Sakura, puzzled, waited, though she didn't know what she was _supposed_ to be waiting for.

Finally, he nudged the paper towards her.

She blinked and read the words:

_Do you have something to ask me?_

"…Um…" Her words got stuck in her throat. It was a little confusing, to be honest. Why did he feel the need to write something so simple when it was a lot easier to say it in the first place?

As if sensing her immediate confusion, he sighed and wrote additional words on the paper before nudging it back to her.

_I can't talk. My throat's hoarse._

Realization bubbled inside her chest. _Oh…! So that's why…!_

"S—Sorry," she stammered. "It's nothing. I'm just thinking about what to draw in the background for this art project that we have…"

Sasuke stared at her, patiently waiting for her to elaborate.

"…I want to draw a small forest and a field of flowers," she continued on. "But… I don't know _how_. And you're already busy with sketching the sky, Sasuke-kun, not to mention that you're going to be the one coloring the drawing, so I was too embarrassed to ask for help…"

"…"

"…"

After a few beats of silence, Sasuke silently dragged his chair and took a seat beside her. Sakura, not knowing what was happening, held her breath.

Sasuke ripped out a page of a notebook nearby and started to draw.

The angle he was in was such that Sakura could clearly see what he was sketching, but in the process, he scooted closer to her until their proximity is mere centimeters apart.

Blood rushed to Sakura's face.

_"…You start with the trunk."_

Her heart leaped out of her chest when she heard his voice. It was indeed hoarse and scratchy, yet his low tone mixed with his usual underlying indifference did not make it hard to listen to. It was actually kind of _soothing_ in a way.

Sakura turned redder and redder by the minute.

"Make sure the bark has a texture," Sasuke continued on slowly, obviously making an effort to speak. "The leaves don't need to be too detailed. I can remedy that with the watercolor. As for the meadow…" He paused for a while, letting out a deep breath to rest his voice for a bit. "…it would look nice if we use white dandelions—"

When he turned his head towards her, he blinked when he saw that she seemed to be frozen stiff. What was wrong? Was his voice not loud enough?

Maybe she couldn't hear him…

Sasuke stopped sketching and leaned towards her.

When Sakura snapped out of her daze, she immediately noticed that Sasuke was moving closer to her and she froze once more.

 _Wh—Wha—What is he_ doing _?!_

_Sasuke-kun…?!_

" _Sakura…_ " he said in that low voice she was now attracted to. His face was very close now, and she fought the deep blush that was threatening to show up on her features.

"Can you hear me now…?"

That was the last straw.

" _SORRY, SASUKE-KUN!_ I—I—I NEED TO GO HOME NOW!" Sakura yelled, jumping out of her seat and dashing out of the empty classroom.

Sasuke blinked in shock, staring at the open doorway where his classmate had disappeared to.

" _…_ What about our project...? _"_

* * *

_fin_


	4. Twisted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #4: Sasuke and Sakura's thoughts during the Forest of Death scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for SasuSaku Month 2017. The prompt was for Day 5: Blood, Sweat, and Tears. This oneshot is based on Naruto episode 33, Manga Chapter 56.

**_Blood._ **

When he regained consciousness, he could only feel the power surging through his body, enveloping him with strength and adrenaline that he had never experienced before.

He slowly stood up from the ground and sensed fighting going on near him. He was itching to try out this new, surreal power he somehow achieved…

But then he saw her.

There was no mistaking that light shade of pink and that trademark red dress. She was sprawled on her knees, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion and her hair a knotty mess. When he approached her, she turned around to face him, her tired face already lighting up with a smile until she saw what state he was in.

Her eyes went wide.

After seeing her face all bruised like that, with her eye already swollen and turning purple and specks of blood scattered on her body, he felt anger rising inside him.

"Sakura… who did that to you…?"

_What bastard did that to you?_

_…Because_ he _will be the first one to taste my new power._

**_Sweat._ **

_No…_

_That's not the Sasuke-kun I know!_

A burst of determination and courage filled her body, and her legs led her towards Sasuke's form. Without even thinking about it, she wrapped her arms around him, stopping him from moving.

Stopping him from doing something he might regret.

Stopping him from doing what was _never_ in his nature to begin with.

She was nervous as hell. She was scared. So, _so_ scared.

But she would be _damned_ if she just let him go off into the deep end.

**_And tears._ **

When he felt arms around his torso, his head immediately snapped towards the source.

His blood-red Sharingan eyes met her wide, imploring emerald ones. She was staring at him so intensely as if begging him to stop.

_"Please…"_

He was _this_ close to brushing her off.

But the tears that freely flowed out of her eyes stopped him cold.

She was crying.

She was crying _for him._

_Why?_

_"…stop."_

The vivid image of her tears was ingrained into his mind before he collapsed to the ground, the curse marks already receding.

* * *

_fin_


	5. Always You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #5: In reality, they only had eyes for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for SasuSaku Month 2017.

"Welcome back, Sasuke!" Mikoto greets with a warm smile. "How was school?"

"Girls are annoying" is Sasuke's slightly irritated reply as he takes off his shoes.

Mikoto blinks, surprised. Then she grins in amusement. "Ah, so my little boy is already at that age, eh?" she remarks with a giggle. "Well? Anyone catch your eye?"

Sasuke scowls. "No way! Ain't _ever_ gonna happen!" he snaps before storming off to his room.

"My, he sure is grumpy today," Mikoto comments, chuckling as she returns to the kitchen.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Aren't you interested in girls at all, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke scowls after his kunai hits the target dummy. Kabuto, who is nearby and overseeing his training, smirks and pushes up his glasses.

"Usually, boys your age are chasing after women," Kabuto continues on casually. "Like Naruto-kun, for example. Doesn't he like that female teammate of yours so much?"

The familiar, buzzing hum of electricity reverberates in the surroundings, indicating the materialization of Sasuke's trademark Chidori.

"…Shut up," he says flatly. "You're noisy."

But Kabuto only grins even more. "Ah… It's either I hit a nerve or you are simply uninterested about the topic. Which of these two fit, Sasuke-kun?"

"I don't care either way," says Sasuke, closing his eyes as he channels more chakra into his technique. "Think whatever you want."

Kabuto watches as Sasuke strikes down several dummies in one go.

"Hmm…" he muses before finally leaving the vicinity.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Hey, Sasuke. You interested in Karin or something?"

Sasuke sends Suigetsu a sidelong glance, the latter looking at him in expectation as he downs his third canteen.

"No," he says promptly before turning away and going back to the campfire.

"Heh. Thought so." Suigetsu grins in both malice and amusement as he follows the team leader. "Then what kind of girl are you interested in? One with a hot body and a huge rack, or do you prefer the ones with brains?"

"Neither," Sasuke replies curtly.

Suigetsu stops momentarily, rubbing the back of his head in mild bewilderment.

"Man… what a cold guy…"

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Sakura… never stopped wanting to save you. Never…"

"Was she having fun in her little make-believe fantasy of true love?" Sasuke remarks flatly. "As for me, I have absolutely no reason to love her and likewise, I can see no reason why she would love me."

"You only need a reason to _hate_ a person!" Kakashi exclaims. "And Sakura's not trying or wanting to make you hers! She only wants to save you! She whom you came close to killing once… She feels for and spills tears over you, even now… Because she loves you so much it's breaking her heart!"

An unbidden image of Sasuke's family rises in his mind. He is quiet for a moment.

Then he speaks.

"…That's probably just… chains from a failed past that she's feeling…"

* * *

• • •

* * *

 [ **Present Time** ]

"I'm sorry… I'm getting a little too ahead of myself, coming with you like this when this was supposed to be your journey alone…"

Small leaves from the trees fall upon their forms. Sasuke looks at Sakura who is beside him, walking slightly faster than he is. He knows that it's because she has suddenly felt nervous and a little unsure of herself.

"And I bet you've probably liked a lot of girls in the past and also in your travels, ones who are really pretty and kind…" She is babbling now, not really registering the words that are coming out of her lips.

Sasuke frowns.

"Ah… I'm rambling again." She sends him an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun…"

" _…Sakura._ "

She stops in her tracks when she hears the tone in his voice. Sasuke, however, continues walking forward in his own leisurely pace.

"Sasuke-kun…?" she tries.

When Sasuke turns around, she catches a faint smile curving his lips.

"There has never been anyone for me…" he says softly. "…but _you_."

* * *

_• • •_

* * *

 

_"Sasuke-kun looks so cool, doesn't he?"  
_

_"He always does!"  
_

_Seven-year-old Sasuke ignored the whispers of admiration among the girls, minding his own business. He tried to be polite and not show his irritation, but his indifferent mask was slowly crumbling._

_When he inadvertently gave them a sidelong glance, he spotted a girl about his age wedged in between the small crowd, staring at him silently with her hands clasped together._

_When she noticed his gaze, she turned red and immediately stepped away from his vision._

* * *

_• • •_

* * *

_When Kabuto left, Sasuke deactivated his Chidori and tried,_ again _, to make the image of Team 7 disappear from his mind._

_The last face he thought of was his female teammate, a memory of her looking irritated because of a certain blond-haired boy._

* * *

_• • •_

* * *

" _Neither," Sasuke replied curtly before going towards the direction of the campfire.  
_

_Why on earth would he pick a mere pretty face when a woman with strength and intellect was a thousand times better?_

* * *

_• • •_

* * *

"  _…That's probably just… chains from a failed past that she's feeling…"  
_

_His family who genuinely loved him sprang inside his mind. Perhaps Sakura really did truly love him for a reason he could not comprehend. Why would she still love him despite everything?_

_At least, with his method of assuring that she would not get in the way, he had already severed his bonds with her. She would hate him now._

_He was no longer the person she wanted to save. He was too far gone in the path he chose. It was too late._

* * *

_• • •_

* * *

" _What if… I told you… that… I'd like to come, too…?"  
_

_"It's my road to redemption," Sasuke said. "You have nothing to do with my sins."  
_

_Sakura hung her head low. "Nothing to do… you say…" she muttered, depressed._

_Lifting his two fingers, he gently tapped her on the forehead._

_And smiled._

_"I'll see you soon. Thank you."_

You've always been the one.

* * *

_fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 23 Prompt: It Was Always You.


	6. Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #6: After a long time, they were finally together under the same sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for SasuSaku Month 2017. The prompt is for Day 18: Comfortable Silence.

"Do you remember seeing this same sky, Sasuke-kun?"

When he glances at her, her gaze is bright and directed skywards, a soft smile curving her lips. Her posture is relaxed as she leans her elbows against the grass, comfortably adjusting herself into a position wherein she can see the stars in all their glory.

"Yeah," he responds. "Back when we were twelve."

She lets out a light chuckle. "Those were the days, huh?" Something nostalgic crosses her features, one that he doesn't miss. "The night sky here looks exactly the same as it was years ago…"

He follows her gaze and finds himself immersed in the black expanse, sprayed with sparkling lights and hazy clouds. Both of them don't speak nor do anything for a long while, finding contentment in being around each other's presences. He has never really experienced anything like this before, and it's actually a beautiful, surreal feeling. To have someone in your life who can give you the space you need, understands your reasons, and is never afraid to show how much they love you is still a concept that's slightly foreign to him, especially since this case is not like his bonds with his family but something romantic.

She may not be the most perfect person in the world, but she is _more_ than enough for him.

She… is the _one_.

 _No more hesitating_ , he thinks to himself.

Without any further ado on his part, he slowly turns towards her and gently cradles her face with his hand. She looks startled at this unexpected move, but she doesn't say anything, only staring at him with her eyes wide.

She always _does_ have the most expressive eyes he has ever seen.

Sasuke smiles softly, then leans towards her and presses his lips to her forehead.

" _Words aren't the only way to tell someone how you feel._ "

* * *

_fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last line is a reference to Final Fantasy VII.


	7. #7: Photograph

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for SasuSaku Month 2017. (I forgot to tag it correctly on Tumblr, so I didn't realize that I wrote this as well!)

After buying food at a nearby restaurant, a man in a black coat seated himself on a table by the open entrance, laying his dish in front of him. It was a sunny day with the occasional cool wind passing by, and people were chattering normally in the surroundings. All in all, it seemed to be another one of those peaceful days.

However, just when he placed his bag next to him, a running figure immediately snatched it away, quickly disappearing into a corner. A few people gasped at the display.

The man, however, merely stared at the direction where the figure ran off to.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Heh, that was easy," Yamazaki said to himself proudly as he came to a stop behind a local tea shop and sat on the grass. "He couldn't even touch me!"

Eagerly, he instantly rummaged the contents of the bag.

"Ah, here it is!" he exclaimed, fishing out a small wallet. "Now to see how much is in it…"

"I would appreciate it if you give that back to me," a deep voice interrupted him.

"?!" Yamazaki jolted in shock, staggering backwards. " _Wh—Wh—Wha—!?_ How did you get here so fast?! I never even heard your footsteps!"

The man only looked at him. "I have my ways," he said simply.

Yamazaki stared at him. "Are you a ninja?"

"That is none of your concern," said the man promptly. "Now will you hand it over, or will you run away again?"

Yamazaki gritted his teeth. " _Tch!_ All right, here's your stupid wallet back!" He hurled the said object at the man, who deftly caught it with his hand. Yamazaki's mood darkened slightly. He had been so _close_ to finding money to buy food for his poor family! And this guy just had to _ruin_ it for him!

As if reading his thoughts, the man threw a plastic bag with bread inside at him. Startled, Yamazaki caught it in his hands.

"…" Yamazaki could only stare at him in astonishment.

The man opened his wallet and showed it to him. It was empty.

"What… You have no money in there?" Yamazaki exclaimed. "Then why the hell did you chase after me if you have nothing in there?"

"I only came back for these."

Yamazaki stared as the man held up two photographs in his hand. One was of a seemingly younger him and three other people he didn't recognize.

The other was of a woman who looked like the older version of the lone girl in the first photo. She was grinning at the camera with a pretty blush on her cheeks.

In her arms was a sleeping baby.

"Uh…" Yamazaki said tentatively, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed at being shown such a personal photograph. "Is she your wife?"

The man's expression didn't change much from his usual calm expression, but there was a distinct softness in his eyes that was evident from a closer look.

"…Yeah," he responded. His tone was almost gentle. "I suppose you understand now why I chased after you."

* * *

• • •

* * *

It may have seemed unnecessary, but for Sasuke, it was important.

Seeing these two photos reminded him of the people who would always wait for him to come back home, after all.

* * *

_fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompt is for Day 10: Photograph.


	8. Jealousy, Maybe?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this for a prompt posted on sasusaku-fic-request on Tumblr. The anon's ask prompt was: Sasuke steals Sakura away from Naruto or Lee.

Sasuke doesn't know _how_ it started. To be honest, he doesn't even realize what he's doing.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura inquires, snapping him out of his mild trance. "Is something wrong?"

Sasuke sends her a sidelong glance. "Why do you ask?"

Sakura blinks. "Because… you kinda dragged me away while Lee-san was talking to me just now…"

Oh, right.

It had been a normal day like any other. He was on his occasional visit to Konoha, taking in the sights of the beautiful, peaceful village and the happy-looking civilians going about their own business.

He had visited Kakashi beforehand, greeting his former teacher briefly before walking around the streets, ignoring the odd stares he got from others. He was used to it, after all.

It wasn't until he rounded the corner leading towards the training grounds that he spotted her.

How long had it been? Weeks? _Months?_ Sasuke didn't know. He didn't keep track of time that much. But he knew that it had been a while since he last saw her.

Sakura looked as lively as ever, chattering animatedly with Lee as he seemed to be telling her something exciting. Strands of her pink hair danced with the wind as she covered her giggles with her mouth in a feminine manner. Sasuke tried not to let himself stare too much at her face, for it not only made him uncomfortable, but it also gave rise to unknown feelings that _definitely_ hadn't been there before.

Sasuke didn't know what had gotten into him. It was as if his body was operating on auto-pilot mode as he strode over to them, his steps light yet purposeful. His mind was blank, his palms oddly sweaty.

When he reached them, Sakura's pleasantly surprised face was the first thing he saw.

" _Sasuke-kun!_ " she exclaimed. "When did you–"

Her voice trailed off when Sasuke suddenly started to walk past her without even breathing a word. Sakura, completely confused, was about to turn around to ask him what was wrong when she suddenly felt his hand grasp her wrist.

The last thing she saw before he used _Shunshin_ to drag her away was Lee's confused, wide-eyed expression.

Sasuke's mind goes back to the present as he recalls _exactly_ what he did. Trying not to show the discomfort on his features, he looks Sakura in the eyes somewhat apologetically.

"Sorry," he says quietly.

Sakura blinks, surprised at his solemn tone. "No, it's okay… Lee-san will understand, I'm sure." She peers at his face, trying to find something in his expression. "Why? Do you need me for something?"

Sasuke shakes his head. "No."

Sakura looks more confused now. "Huh? Then why did you—?"

At that moment, a loud voice interrupts them.

"Oh! If it isn't _Sasuke_!"

Sasuke and Sakura turn around to see Naruto running towards them with a huge smile on his face.

"You're here!" he tells Sasuke excitedly, patting him repeatedly on the shoulder. "Welcome back! How long are you gonna be staying?"

Sasuke calmly slaps Naruto's hand away, his expression indifferent. "Only a day," he replies. "I only came to restock my supplies. I'm going to be travelling towards a village in the far-east."

Naruto frowns at this. "You should make it _two_ days, at least!" he complains as he slings an arm around Sakura's shoulder. "Don't you know how much Sakura-chan missed you while you were gone?!"

Sakura's face turns tomato-red in an instant. "N—N— _No_!" she denies immediately, so flustered that she's _stammering_. "Th—That's not it! N—Naruto, stop joking around!" She attempts a glare at him, but Naruto only finds it adorable with that embarrassed blush on her cheeks.

Naruto laughs, courageously pinching her cheeks. "You're always so _cute_ whenever Sasuke's around!" he teases, enjoying the way his female teammate's face somehow manages to turn even _redder_ than before.

Sakura is about to teach him a lesson by slowly channeling chakra to her fist when a hand suddenly grips her wrist.

"What — _Sasuke-kun?!_ "

Naruto stares in shock when Sasuke looks at him, his rinnegan suddenly looking very threatening at that moment.

Before he walks away with Sakura, he frowns at Naruto. "Don't touch her like that," he says quietly. "Can't you see she's uncomfortable?"

Then he begins to leave, still gripping Sakura by the wrist as the latter gapes at him in pure confusion.

She can't seem to believe it. Sasuke, _again_ , is dragging her away for the _second_ time today! For _no_ reason at all!

Meanwhile, Naruto stares, and stares, and _stares_.

Seconds later, a mischievous, knowing smile curves his lips.

" _O-ho!_ Sasuke~" he says, laughing in a teasing manner at their retreating backs. "You should've just told me you wanted Sakura-chan all to yourself today! I would've _gladly_ left you two alone, you know! Geez, you should be more honest with yourself!"

Naruto laughs even harder when Sasuke hastens his retreat, immediately disappearing out of his sight by rounding the corner.

He does not miss the undeniably red blush on _both_ of their faces.

* * *

_fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention this, but I contributed a 1k+ fic on a SasuSaku fanzine! You can pre-order the zine at thesasusakufanzine on Tumblr! There are over 40 pages of content consisting of SS fanfics and artworks! There are other merchandises too, like posters, cards, and charms. You can take a look at the artist and writer previews on their Tumblr site. Pre-orders are open until June 23, 2019. ^^


	9. Online Dating?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #9: On Tumblr, Sakura was a fan of the popular artist blogger, LucidHypnosis. She didn't expect him to notice her or even send her a message, but he did, and she was ecstatic!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this for an anon who asked for a prompt on Tumblr. The anon's ask prompt was #32: "what do you mean you're not attractive whatthefuck"
> 
> WARNING: This contains some fluff and complete randomness!

 

Sakura _loved_ blogging on Tumblr. It was a refreshing experience that allowed her to get away from it all, from her personal problems and current unemployed status. Taking pictures of nature and popular tourist spots was her passion; her camera was a part of her now, and it was hard to let go.

Fortunately, because of her dream, she gained a rather big following, and all of them were people who loved her works. She often got messages and asks, imploring her to either upload more or to request her to take a photo of a specific place.

Sometimes, Sakura indulged them. Sometimes, she _didn't_.

She wasn't getting paid for it after all; it was only her hobby.

Despite being one of the popular Tumblr users, Sakura had mixed feelings about her fame. It was wonderful that people loved her photos, but the _pressure_ was there, too. Of course, her lovely fans often praised her and tried to get to know her more, but it was also stressful trying to fend off reposters and haters. It felt like the more popular she became, the more people felt entitled.

"At least _he's_ smart enough to put some distance between him and his fans," Sakura muttered as she explored her favourite blogger's Tumblr.

Sakura had her fair share of favourite bloggers, but _LucidHypnosis_ easily topped on her list. LucidHypnosis was an artist. A _digital_ artist, to be exact. His pieces were _gorgeous_ , ranging from watercolour to pastels to paint sprayed with either monochromatic colours or radiant shades.

Sakura wasn't an art critic, nor was she a lover of it, but she absolutely _admired_ LucidHypnosis' works. His paintings seemed to strike her eyes and make her stop scrolling her dashboard just to stare at it for minutes. It was realistic yet _dazzling_ at the same time.

As to how she knew that LucidHypnosis was a guy, she stalked his ask tag and learned that he was male and 22 years old, the same age as her.

It was funny to see how many people keep sending him asks, and that most of them weren't even about art. A lot of fangirls came his way when he posted a painting from his home with his family photograph visible by the nearby table.

When Sakura zoomed in on the picture, all she saw was a group of four people, two of them seemingly LucidHypnosis' parents. Him and the one who seemed to be his brother were very blurry, so Sakura couldn't tell what his face even looked like.

_Maybe someday, I'll send him an ask, too._

After liking and reblogging his newest post, Sakura closed her browser and shut her laptop. It was time to go to sleep.

* * *

**:**

* * *

When Sakura woke up the next day from a beeping notification on her phone, she rubbed her eyes blearily and opened her Tumblr.

"Who on earth is sending me a PM this early — _OH SHIT!_ "

The desire to sleep vanished entirely as Sakura stared at the new message notification on her app.

 **LucidHypnosis:** _Good morning, CherryBlooms91. I would like to…_

 _Would like to_ what _?! What?_ Sakura hastily opened the message. _Don't leave me hanging, my idol!_

 **LucidHypnosis:** _Good morning, CherryBlooms91. I would like to ask you if it's all right to ask permission to use your photo for my traditional art practice._

 _Whoa!_ A wide grin spread across Sakura's face. _What an honor! I'd_ never _say no to this opportunity!_

…

…

_CherryBlooms91 is typing…_

…

…

 **CherryBlooms91:** Sure thing! Can you send me the link of the photo you want to use?

…

…

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

_LucidHypnosis sent a link._

…

_This is it!_

When Sakura excitedly clicked the link, she was directed towards the photo post LucidHypnosis deemed favourable enough to paint.

And she stopped cold.

It was a photo of _her_.

She was leaning against the railing that separated the park from the lake, cherry blossom petals dancing along with the wind and the strands of her hair. It was a candid shot by the way she had her eyes half-closed, her hand gently tucking hair behind her ear, and a small, happy smile curving her lips.

It was the _only_ photo on her blog out of _thousands_ that had her own face in it, making it a special picture.

And it was her _first_ ever post on Tumblr.

 _Why this photo?_ she asked herself over and over again like a chant, anxiety bubbling in her chest for no reason at all. Somehow, her heart was pounding faster than before. _It doesn't even have many notes! And it's hard for someone to find it because I didn't even place any tags…_

 _Wait…_ Sakura's eyes flew open in shock. _Did… LucidHypnosis go through my_ whole _blog?_

Her fingers were shaking as she tried to type a reply, realizing that she was keeping her favourite blogger waiting.

But what should she say to him?

What _was_ there to say?

Was she going to agree to his request or not?

She swallowed, her mind hitting a block. If she said yes, she'd _die_ of embarrassment. It was too personal, after all! She doubted many of her followers even _knew_ what she looked like, and now LucidHypnosis was going to paint it and post in on his blog… for _thousands_ of people to see.

 _I should message him already…_ she thought to herself, biting her lower lip slightly. _He must be confused as to why I'm not replying…_

_But… that photo…_

_Even though it's LucidHypnosis, I still…_

"But what's there to hesitate about…?" she asked herself out loud in a quiet voice. " _Why_ am I hesitating…?"

_In fact… I should be glad._

_Yes… I should be honoured._

As she typed her agreement to LucidHypnosis, her mixed feelings kept rising. She didn't _want_ to share the photo with anyone. She only posted it on her blog for the sentimental value and kept the link in her sticky note so that she could find it from time to time.

So, to have someone paint it and replicate it for her… made her feel extremely unsure.

On the other hand, she felt happy and surprised at the same time because _LucidHypnosis_ himself _wanted_ to paint her. It was both a scary and exciting feeling to have.

 _But… why me?_ she still wondered. _Why this photo?_

Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked him about it outright since she had nothing to lose by asking.

…

_CherryBlooms91 is typing…_

…

 **CherryBlooms91:** May I ask why you chose this photo?

…

…

..

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** Because it's beautiful.

…

_SLAM!_

Sakura dropped her hands on the keyboard out of shock.

"AJSJAKDBEVVXOSBWLOXHNWKBCIXJW!" she babbled in surprise, blushing furiously. "Oh my _god_!"

_WhatshouldIdowhatshouldIdowhatshouldIdo—_

Sakura let out a fangirlish scream. " _Kyaaa~!_ Gosh, what is _happening_?!" Still grinning widely, she pinched herself on the arm. "Haha… This must be a dream… This must be a dream… Yeah… No _way_ that the popular blogger LucidHypnosis said that about me… _No way_ …!"

After feeling the satisfactory pain, she took a look at the screen again and rubbed her eyes _just_ to make sure.

 **LucidHypnosis:** _Because it's beautiful._

" _KYAAAA~!_ " Sakura gushed, covering her mouth with her hands. "He really _said_ it!"

 _But WAIT!_ Sakura tried to get a hold of herself. _He didn't say that_ I _am beautiful. He said the_ photo _is beautiful, not_ me _! Get a grip, Sakura! Snap out of it!_

But it was too late. She was already on cloud nine despite her rational thoughts.

And because of it, she courageously decided to become a little playful.

…

…

_CherryBlooms91 is typing…_

…

…

…

…

…

 **CherryBlooms91:** You can have my permission to use my photo! ◇ But… I have one condition.

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** Yes. What is it?

…

…

_CherryBlooms91 is typing…_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

 **CherryBlooms91:** Since I'm giving you a photo of me… You should send me a photo of you, too.

…

There was silence for a while. Sakura kept on staring at the screen before her, her fingers frozen above the keyboard. Her smile was stiff and in place.

_What… have I… done…?_

" _Why_ did I do thaaaat…?" she wailed softly, slumping deep into her seat as she tried to curl into herself. "Whyyy…?"

But she was curious about his face! LucidHypnosis was the _only_ popular blogger she knew who _never_ revealed himself in public. Practically _every_ single post of his was either a painting, a sketch, or a drawing process. All of his fans knew that he was a guy and what his age was, but he _never_ entertained any questions that were deeper than that. It made him all the more mysterious.

But she really had nothing to lose by asking this of him. At least she tried… right?

"But it's _so_ embarrassing…" She buried her face in her hands. "He must think I'm _really_ weird now…"

Suddenly, at that moment, there was a single beeping sound.

Sakura uncovered her face and took a peek at his reply.

…

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** It is a sort of fair trade. However, I fail to see the reason why you would want to see my face. There is nothing special or attractive about me whatsoever.

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

_LucidHypnosis sent a photo._

…

Sakura's eyes got wider and wider by the second as she gaped at her screen.

After a few seconds, she immediately stood up from her chair and almost flipped the table over.

"What do you mean you're _not_ attractive?! _Whatthefuck_ —" An unexpected curse flew out of her lips. "I mean— _GAWD_! You're so _hot_ …" Her cheeks were practically on fire.

The photo was simple enough. LucidHypnosis leaned a fist against his cheek with his elbow propped up on his computer table, his face tilting slightly to the side. There was a neutral expression on his face; his eyes were almost half-lidded as he stared into the webcam and his lips were not curved in any way. He had dark hair and equally dark eyes.

He was _beyond_ handsome.

"So unfair…" Sakura pouted. "How can someone be _so_ beautiful and talented at the same time? I'm so jealous…"

…

_CherryBlooms91 is typing…_

…

…

 **CherryBlooms91:** You're so handsome! And talented, too!

 **CherryBlooms91:** You have everything… So jealous!

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

…

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

Sakura blinked at the screen _. Is he… erasing and typing his message?_

_Does he… not know what to say?_

Sakura could not help it. She fangirled.

_So cuuuute!_

…

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** Thank you, CherryBlooms91.

…

Sakura resisted the urge to laugh out loud.

_Even his reply is awkward yet adorable at the same time!_

…

…

 **CherryBlooms91:** Oh, please call me Sakura! Since I'm giving you permission for my photo, we're friends now!

 **CherryBlooms91:** Since I've never ever given anyone my consent before, so consider yourself special! =￣ω￣=

 **CherryBlooms91:** Nice to meet you!

…

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

…

…

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** Thank you, Sakura.

 **LucidHypnosis:** I appreciate it. My name is Sasuke.

…

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

…

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** My real name stays between the two of us, all right?

…

…

Sakura pumped her fist into the air.

_SCORE! Take that, LucidHypnosis' fangirls!_

As Sakura giddily turned off her laptop, she failed to realize that she hadn't asked him how he stumbled upon her photo in the first place.

* * *

**:**

* * *

The day after tomorrow, Sakura saw that LucidHypnosis had tagged her in a post.

_Painted a photo owned by cherryblooms91. Used it with permission._

And there, right on LucidHypnosis' page, was a beautiful, realistic artwork of her on a canvas.

Sakura _loved_ it, even though she _clearly_ knew that her eyes hadn't been _that_ sparkly, her features weren't _that_ smooth, and her lips weren't _that_ glossy.

Someone had reblogged the art with a text:

 _RamenOverlord17 reblogged this photo:_ lucidhypnosis, is cherryblooms91 ur girlfriend? Or r u tumblr-married to her?! So jealous!

Sakura snickered as she replied:

 _CherryBlooms91 reblogged this photo:_ Why yes, ramenoverlord17, I am the girlfriend of lucidhypnosis. I'm taken.

**:**

Twenty minutes later:

 _LucidHypnosis reblogged this photo:_ NO, ramenoverlord17, do _not_ believe her words. And cherryblooms91, I suggest that you refrain from spreading lies on my professional artwork of you.

**:**

_CherryBlooms91 reblogged this photo:_ But lucidhypnosis! I'm hurt! How can you deny me in front of all our fans?! I hate you!

Sakura giggled. _Take that!_

**:**

Five minutes later:

 _LucidHypnosis reblogged this photo:_ All right, fine. _Fine_. I won't deny it anymore, darling.

**:**

Sakura's fingers froze over her keyboard. "WHAT?!" she shrieked.

**:**

_CherryBlooms91 reblogged this photo:_ Ahaha! Let's stop joking around now, lucidhypnosis. This is getting too far… Sorry for messing with you, lol

**:**

_LucidHypnosis reblogged this photo:_ Who said that we were joking around?

 _LucidHypnosis reblogged this photo:_ Are _you_ the one who's denying our relationship now, honey?

**:**

Sakura sent him a PM.

 **CherryBlooms91:** I'M SORRY OKAY

 **CherryBlooms91:** I MESSED UP

 **CherryBlooms91:** I shouldn't have teased you around like that!

 **CherryBlooms91:** Now if you'd please… uh, delete your reblogs… and then I'll delete mine? :D

…

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** No.

…

_CherryBlooms91 is typing…_

…

 **CherryBlooms91:** Y NOT?!

…

_LucidHypnosis is typing…_

…

…

…

 **LucidHypnosis:** Because you're mine now.

…

…

…

_CherryBlooms91 logged out (due to a massive nosebleed shock)._

Meanwhile, LucidHypnosis kept on being online and ignoring his fangirls' complaints.

( _And secretly laughing at Sakura's hasty retreat._ )

The next day, he messaged her.

 **LucidHypnosis:** So, are we tumblr-married now?

 **CherryBlooms91:** WHAT!

* * *

_fin_


	10. Lullaby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke remembers, vividly, his mother putting him to sleep with a song when he was a child. It was his only favorite song back then, and even until he grew up. Even after his mother died. But without her, his nightmares are inescapable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Note[1]:** For SasuSaku Month 2019. Day 29: Lullaby.
> 
> **Note[2]:** This can also be considered as a companion fic to the story I submitted to the Connected: SasuSaku Fanzine. However, this can of course be a standalone.
> 
> **Note[3]:** I tried out a new descriptive writing style since this is my first ss fic in a while. Hope you enjoy! ^^

Sasuke remembers, vividly, his mother putting him to sleep with a song when he was a child.

It was his only favorite song back then, and even until he grew up. Mikoto had this distinctive gentle, melodic tone whenever she sang, so the sound of her voice always lulled him to sleep. At first, he had been stubborn about sleeping right on his bedtime schedule. He was a kid, after all, and kids often still had lots of energy to spare. He wanted to stay up all night and play with his older brother, but Itachi was always unfortunately asleep at this hour, so Sasuke wanted many bedtime stories from his mother. However, instead of tall tales about a prince beating a fierce, mighty dragon, Mikoto only smiled and tucked him in, her soothing voice drifting into his ears. Her lullaby caused his eyes to grow heavy as he listened more and more to the melody, unable to fight the spreading weakness in his limbs. At first, Sasuke thought she was casting a spell on him because he was being bad.

But Mikoto only told him, "You're always a good boy to me, Sasuke."

And that made him smile, and soon he didn't even realize that he was drifting off to dreamland.

There had been times when he had nightmares. A child's nightmares, actually. He wanted to become a great ninja just like the other energetic kids, but he was secretly ashamed of the fact that he was afraid of the darkness, of the monster hiding under his bed. Or the shadows hiding in his closet. Or the wind rattling his windows, startling him just before he could succumb to sleep. He had nightmares because he was afraid, and fear was a scary thing that haunted him even in his dreams, for he never faced them head-on.

His mother's lullaby, however, was like magic. Her voice scared the nightmares away, blew the shadows away. Mikoto's angelic face was always the last thing he saw before he slept, and the ethereal moonlight seeping into her features made her look even more graceful than she was. He always thought of his mother's song as a spell, something that made all the bad things in the world disappear and let him forget about all the silly little things.

Unfortunately, that happiness didn't last forever. His family, his mother, was taken away from him, and Sasuke had nightmares again.

This time, it was always of blood. Of dead people, of darkness, of multiple empty houses, of a sword gleaming in the moonlight...

...and of Sharingan eyes glowing in the dark.

Sasuke could not escape from these hellish nightmares. There was no life in his house, no family, no pleasant cricket sounds, and no lullaby to help him fall asleep.

Nothing to chase his nightmares away.

Soon, Sasuke grew used to it. There was nothing he could do but accept it, anyway. And nightmares were just a hindrance; he had a big goal to achieve, and those horrific dreams only served to fuel the vengeance he was feeling.

The shift happened when he was placed in a genin team. In time, very slowly, his nightmares decreased. They didn't disappear completely, but now there were nights when he didn't have them at all. There were even nights when he had surprisingly pleasant ones, though as hard as he tried, he could not remember them the moment he woke up.

Perhaps it was hope that began driving them away, little by little. Perhaps it was the sense of camaraderie, of belonging, that came along with his team. He could be himself around them, could be snarky whenever he wanted to, but he could also be gentle, too. Try as he might, he could not push them away from his life, just as he could not push away the nightmares of his ruined family.

When he left Konoha, all the nightmares returned. Only this time, he was driven by a hate so strong that his vengeance consumed him. Sasuke welcomed the darkness, welcomed its challenge. He embraced the nightmares, embraced the fear. He made them a part of him. Just as he could not escape them, they could not escape him.

This went on, and Sasuke, again, grew used to it. He didn't cry bitterly after waking up anymore. He only felt empty, lifeless, and driven with more and more hate into his system. He endured everything as he trained, as he grew stronger, as he defeated his enemies, as new nightmares were created.

He never even flinched at them now.

Through the years, he thought that nightmares were inescapable.

But all that changed... when he was _freed_.

Freed of the darkness that consumed him. Free of the hate, the revenge, the overwhelming need to push everything away.

Now, the nightmares are almost gone. _Almost_ , because they're now replaced with remnants of his brother. His gentle older brother of the past, and his old memories with his clan and family. They aren't exactly nightmares anymore. Just dreams of longing. However, they seem much more painful than nightmares.

But he can cope with it all, because he has _her_ by his side.

The woman with the cherry blossom hair and the bright green eyes. She lights up his world like sunshine, driving the residual darkness away. When she smiles, he can't help but put down his guards. When she speaks his name, he feels like there's meaning in his life. When she holds his hand, when she touches his cheek, when she hugs him so tightly that he can't breathe, he feels like he's in a whole new world, with only the spring season raining down on it. Spring season with cherry blossom trees all around.

The day she finds out about his nightmares is the day she surprises him with her method.

When she notices him waking up slowly from his place on her lap, his brow evident of sweat and his breathing slightly shallow, her sensitive senses tingle, noting the glazed-over look in his eyes. He's half-asleep, not fully awake, and still trapped in the dream he's currently having. Sakura cries a little, dying inside by witnessing a fraction of his suffering, and gently runs her fingers through his messy dark locks, trying her best to soothe him in any way she can.

It's when she sings, hesitantly, that she notices him peacefully going back to sleep.

When she tells him about it the next day, he's quiet. He doesn't deny it, but he doesn't confirm it, either. He doesn't want to tell her about the dreams, but he does, anyway, even though she actually never asked him to. He finds that he spills everything to her so easily, so fearlessly. He doesn't know why, but he feels safe around her this way. She may not be the quietest person in the world, but she never tells a secret. He doesn't even expect her to, anyway. He just doesn't care because it feels good to tell her.

Later that night, she asks him if she can sing to him again. She hesitates though because she doesn't know if he'll like her treating him like a child, offering to sing him a lullaby to help him sleep. The moment the words escape her lips, a twinge of regret blossoms in her chest. What if he hates her voice? But he slept so easily, so quickly the other night. But what if he—

As if sensing her thoughts, Sasuke tells her it's okay. He then asks her if it's okay to sleep on her lap again, and she agrees, albeit flustered.

But she's happy that he likes sleeping on her. It's a huge step, after all.

As he closes his eyes, he absently notes the difference in Sakura and Mikoto's singing voice. Where Mikoto's was soft and soothing, Sakura's is awkward, fumbling, yet gentle and loving. He can tell that she struggles to remember the lyrics, and sometimes she goes off-beat. Sasuke actually remembers this song she's trying to sing, and he actually _hated_ it back then as a kid, disliking the childish melody and the unimpressive tone. It was why he much rather preferred his mother's song, like an amalgam of sweet nothings, of stars and skies and twilight palettes.

But Sasuke now finds that it isn't actually _that_ bad at all.

He listens and listens to Sakura's quiet voice which is now starting to get used to the song, and her awkward tone decreases, transitioning into something rhythmic and captivating.

Or perhaps Sasuke just really loves hearing her voice.

Either way, Sasuke thinks that he now has a new favorite song.

* * *

_fin_

* * *

**Side note:** Just in case you only just knew about ss month, if you want to contribute, you can do so here in their official social medias since they're still accepting late submissions: [[Tumblr](https://sasuxsakumonth.tumblr.com/)] [[Twitter](https://twitter.com/sasusakumonth)]


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